CONNECTED magazine June 2013

JUNE 2013

DRIVING BUSINESS CONFIDENCE

Family values FENLAND FOCUS: THE FAIRFAX APPROACH AT CUB PUTS PEOPLE FIRST

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PAGES OF YOUR BUSINESS NEWS AND STORIES

PLUS

NEW £1M LEP FUNDING POT FOR SOCIAL ENTERPRISE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN EAST CAMBS

LOCAL ELECTION UPDATE

OUR NEW BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT REPORTS

| CONNECTED OFFICIALOCTOBER MONTHLY 1THE 2012

MAGAZINE

CAMBRIDGESHIRECHAMBER.CO.UK

Brighton

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AS A T M

Abbots Ripton

INL

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Alconbury Village

Little Stukeley A14

RAF Alconbury B

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Great Stukeley

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Proposed new station and Busway connection

ST RE

A141

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A141 Huntingdon Racecourse

The Busway Huntingdon B1514

A14

Great Ouse

A14 Brampton

B1514 A14

Alconbury Weald Enterprise Campus offers 150 hectares of business space set within a high quality, low carbon development of homes, greenspace and community facilities.

From winter 2013 the Incubator will offer flexible space for start up and small businesses from 250 sq ft to 250000 sq ft.

To see how you can join our community, call 01480 413141 or email abrading@savills.com

alconbury-weald.co.uk

CONTENTS |

Inside this issue

5

6-7

Chief Executive’s Comment Fenland Chamber News

8 Ely Chamber News

10-11

14-16 Cambridge & South Cambs Chamber News

8

14

16

18

22

37

Peterborough Chamber News

18

Huntingdonshire Chamber News

19

Cambridgeshire Chamber News

21

In the Hotseat: ECDC’s Doug Perkins

22-23

Out & About

Ask the Expert: Backing up

25

26-27

Events

28

Policy Update

29

Chamber Updates

30

Charity of the Year

31

Raising the Participation Age

33

Update from the LEP

34

Political Landscape

35

Words of Wisdom

36-37

New Members

39-41

Sector Updates

42

Directory

CONNECTED JUNE 2013 | 3

| EDITOR’S COMMENT

Contributing this month...

Welcome Thank you to all members that attended the Huntingdonshire Business Fair as exhibitors and visitors to make it another successful event.

In this edition, the Out & About photo round-up features a number of photographs from the event, courtesy of Martin Bird Photography. All the photos can be viewed on our LinkedIn page or on the Martin Bird Photography website at www.mbfoto.co.uk We are always keen to have professional photographers, who are Chamber members, attend our events. Photos will always be credited to the photographer and you can attend the event for free. If you are interested, please contact Karen Dawson on 01223 209808.

In support of Shine being the Chamber Charity of the Year, Karen Dawson, Events & Training Co-ordinator, is taking part in the Great East Swim. This is a one mile swim at Alton Water, Suffolk, on Saturday 22 June. You can show your support for Karen, and Shine, by sponsoring her at www.justgiving.com/karen-dawson1

Do you follow us on Twitter?

Sadie Parr Editor, CONNECTED

We regularly tweet Chamber news; follow us at @CambsChamber to be kept up to date with all the latest news.

DRIVING BUSINESS CONFIDENCE Chief Executive John Bridge OBE | Editor Sadie Parr | Creative Director Jillian Boys Publisher methodcreative.co.uk | Ebenezer House, Rooks Street, Cottenham, Cambridge CB24 8QZ | 01954 253060 | Print cambridgeprinters.co.uk Disclaimer Views expressed in CONNECTED are not necessarily those of Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce.

Acceptance of advertisements does not imply official endorsement of the products or services concerned. Whilst every care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of editorial content, no responsibility can be taken for any errors and/or omissions. The editor reserves the right to make amendments without notification.

Membership Development Officer Peter Watts 07545 697799 or Bren Coleman on 01223 209811 Cambridge Enterprise House, The Vision Park, Histon, Cambridge CB24 9ZR. Tel 01223 237414 Peterborough 6 The Forum, Minerva Business Park, Lynch Wood, Peterborough PE2 6FT. Tel 01733 370809 Email enquiries@cambscci.co.uk | www.cambridgeshirechamber.co.uk

@CambsChamber Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce

4 | CONNECTED JUNE 2013

Karen Beckwith Peterborough Regional College Commercial and Enterprise Director for a provider of skills based education and training.

Ian MacKellar MacKellar Consulting A freelance journalist with a background as business editor for a local newspaper.

Kirsten Corrigan Method Creative Journalist turned brand strategist, now growing a local creative agency. Encouraging SMEs to think bigger and engage more.

Our editorial panel: We would also like to thank the other members of the Chamber Communications Sector group who will be responsible for shaping the key topics every month and researching these features to better serve the Chamber members in the pages of CONNECTED.

Advertise in CONNECTED and reach more than 4000 potential customers every month!

Contact Lorna Hopkins on 01954 253060 or email connected@methodcreative.co.uk

Prices start from as little as ÂŁ75

CHIEF EXECUTIVE’S COMMENT |

Healthy Eating In the Workplace

FOR some years now healthy eating has been a hot topic in schools up and down the country, with celebrity chefs and government ministers queuing up to highlight the pitfalls of a less-than-healthy lunchtime treat or two.

This has led to many healthy eating campaigns, new rules for catering companies and even enterprise opportunities for older students as they are encouraged to establish ‘healthy’ tuck shops as their school or college vies for ‘healthy school’ status.

But when it comes to employers, should we too be competing to be recognised for a commitment to a healthy workplace?

There is a lot to consider when deciding where to focus your efforts when running a business, so worrying about what your staff are putting in their bodies is unlikely to come high on your list of priorities.

Whilst I’m sure that a good breakfast and healthy snacks throughout the day will have a positive effect of productivity and creativeness, is there time to make sure no employees are working on an empty stomach? Of course the alternative to good health and wellbeing across your workforce is something that could cost you, the employer, both time and money. So perhaps it is time that managers took a more active interest in their employees’ nutritional, dietary and hydration needs.

With that in mind, we’ve added an online healthy eating resource to our training website, with unlimited free access for Chamber members. With top tips on ways to effectively encourage healthy eating, discussions around water consumption and information on healthier snack choices, it’s a great starting point.

Have a look at www.cambridgeshiretraining.co.uk/training/ healthy-eating or access through the training portal on the Chamber website, and let us know how this new free resource helps make a positive impact within your workplace. You can also learn more at the Chambers’ HR event on 25 June.

John Bridge OBE Chief Executive, Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce

Should we be recognised for a commitment to a healthy workplace?

CONNECTED JUNE 2013 | 5

| FENLAND CHAMBER NEWS

Fenland Chamber NEWS

Fenland Chamber of Commerce

A round-up of news and events from Fenland

CUB’s promise of top 10 potential

The CUB UK Team have been voted as one of the top industrial and commercial energy consultancies

CUB UK is reaping the rewards of being focused on honesty and transparency by being hailed as one of the UK’s top 10 industrial and commercial (I&C) energy consultancies in a public vote organised

by The Energy Live Consultancy Awards (TELCA) 2013.

CUB was the energy management industry’s first consultancy to issue a five point customer promise guaranteeing its exceptionally high level of customer service.

It needed to accumulate votes from its own customer base in order to score highly with the judges. Managing Director Louis Fairfax says: “CUB has a long track record of customer retention based on our relationship

building and customer relations skills and we’re delighted to find ourselves in a national top 10, especially as we were pitted against far larger organisations.”

CUB’s Five Point Customer Promise is a pledge to its customers that the consultancy will provide the best products, deliver highly competitive prices with flexibility, provide courteous, helpful, dedicated staff, be completely transparent on prices and costs and follow industry best practice. In addition to this, CUB is spearheading a campaign to introduce self-regulation for energy consultancies as it wants to see its own highly ethical values adopted as standard.

“Raising the bar on integrity in customer service is what CUB set out to do from the outset and we believe it can only be good news for the reputation of the entire industry,” adds Louis.

In order to be shortlisted for the TELCA I&C Consultancy of the Year, voters had to be satisfied that the company demonstrated exceptional customer service, is integral to their day-to-day business activity, provides valued advice on the correct contract structure and risk strategy, is innovative with new ideas that help achieve business objectives and goes the extra mile to provide solutions to business needs. n

WINNING FORMULA

CHAIRMAN, JAQUI FAIRFAX EXPLAINS THE 5 POINT CUSTOMER PROMISE At CUB, we want our customers to experience a friendly, straightforward, honest service with a family feel. We aim to provide a superior service, whether it is a visit to your premises or a simple telephone conversation. This customer guarantee lets you know how we hold ourselves accountable every single day.

6 | CONNECTED JUNE 2013

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PRODUCT

DELIVERY

Providing services bespoke to your business.

We will deliver for you every time.

STAFF Working with you to deliver the very best after care service.

PRICE Honesty is the best policy, with no hidden charges.

BEST PRACTICE All industry codes of practice are strictly followed.

1

FENLAND CHAMBER NEWS |

Do you have some exciting news to shout about that you would like featured in these pages? Get in touch. tel: 01223 209805 email: s.parr@cambscci.co.uk

A Rapid appeal for charity WISBECH-based Rapid Recruitment held a large and successful fundraising campaign for Kings Lynn based charity Scotty’s Little Soldiers.

Smart Cookie Bakeries of Kings Lynn very generously donated over 400 of their delicious cakes. Staff from Rapid then visited over 30 businesses in the local area during their break times and sold cakes to hungry staff. All the

cakes were sold and £420 was raised for this highly worthwhile cause.

Scotty’s Little Soldiers was founded in 2010

by Nikki Scott, a Wisbech mother, whose husband was sadly killed in Afghanistan in 2009. The charity’s aim is to raise funds to support the children of those killed whilst serving in the British Army. n

IN BRIEF June 2013 New Technology Centre open The College of West Anglia has opened phase 1 of its new £7.2 million Technology Centre at its Isle Campus in Wisbech. The new centre will offer state of the art workshops, classrooms and conference centre covering areas. These will include engineering, motor vehicle, motor sport, plumbing, welding and fabrication, and computer aided design.

New Technology Centre Rapid Recruitment presents Scotty’s Little Soldiers with a cheque for £420

Celebrating natural beauty

An artists impression of Centenary Green

EMPLOYEES of Foster Property Maintenance (FPM) attended a ceremony to mark the completion of a restored public space that it helped bring to life. An informal gathering marked the opening of Centenary Green where FPM joined other sponsors to celebrate.

A formal opening of the Green will take place at a later date when the planting and lawns are established. Centenary Green has been created by Octavia Hill’s Birthplace Museum Trust next to the Birthplace House on South Brink, Wisbech. For more than ten years the site has been a derelict eyesore, surrounded by old hoardings in an important and historic part of the town.

John Foster, FPM CEO, said: “We are in a position where we can support initiatives such as Centenary Green to help future generations appreciate beautiful outside spaces.” n

Milestone reached in school build KIER Construction recently celebrated an important milestone in its construction of Cambourne Village College with a traditional topping out ceremony.

Work started on the £15m project in September and is due for completion in July. The timescale was incredibly tight starting from not even having a site to a finished school in two and a half years.

Due to time constraints the team at Kier decided to use a modular unit method of construction for its speed of installation. It was also decided that it would utilise a cross-laminated timber frame, which could be built offsite and delivered ready for erection saving even more time. n

CONNECTED JUNE 2013 | 7

| ELY CHAMBER NEWS

Ely Chamber NEWS A round-up of news and events from across Ely

Ely Chamber of Commerce

‘It’s a Wrap’ at Grey’s of Ely HAVING successfully launched its company infomercial video earlier this year, Grey’s of Ely decided on something a little more lighthearted for the focus of their new project.

The star on this occasion centres around a well-known TV character and his disbelief as to the quality of the coach he is traveling on, leading him to believe he is actually on a plane! Filming was carried out over the course of a day, with a cast of 14 staff and clients. The

finished film has been uploaded to the online video source YouTube and distributed through various social media sources.

Richard Grey, Managing Director, says: “It was great fun to work on a light-hearted look at our industry. Our star (real name John Lashley) was a pleasure to work with and was happy to turn his hand to all the various requests we had, even taking a seat behind the wheel.” n

No fools to be pitied here! John, centre with MD Richard Grey second on the right and Grey’s staff get a thumbs-up

‘RAR’ FOR EMERALD FROG EMERALD Frog Marketing, has recently joined the Recommended Agencies Register (RAR) following high ratings and recommendations from its clients.

The RAR is the UK’s leading directory for businesses looking for advertising, design, PR or digital agencies. Clients rate agencies directly with RAR out of 100 for their skill in specific marketing disciplines, including design, digital and direct marketing, as well as their creativity, value for money and ability to deliver on time. n

8 | CONNECTED JUNE 2013

Independents’ Day returns to Ely On Wednesday 3 July local businesses will join together on Ely Market Place to celebrate Independents’ Day. As part of a national campaign, the day aims to give local independent retailers a voice and to show the value of independent shops and businesses to the local community. The day is an excellent opportunity for local businesses to showcase their products and services, increase brand awareness and promote special offers.

Pitches are free but will require a returnable deposit. To book your pitch

please contact Karen Dawson on 01223 209808 or email k.dawson@cambscci.co.uk n

2012 Independents Day, Ely

CONNECTED MAGAZINE |

Monthly HR insight...

CREATING BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES IN HARD TIMES

Adapt and thrive

By Karen Williams, Director at KJ HR Consulting Limited

THURSDAY 13 JUNE, IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM, DUXFORD 09:45-16:15

Most economic reports show that business performance is flat and likely to stay that way for a long time. However, despite the gloom there are businesses which are performing well and it is possible to grow and take advantage of opportunities which still exist.

The aim of this event is to help leaders of SMEs to develop their businesses by expanding their markets and by ensuring their businesses are as effective and resilient as they can be.

The programme is also intended for professional business advisers who want to add value to their services. In addition to the conference itself there will be exhibitors demonstrating a variety of services available to support businesses.

ICAEW Business Advice Service: expert financial advice and reassurance on your business businessadviceservice.com

In association with:

WORKING in HR for more than 12 years has been invaluable in understanding the way people interact with each other in the workplace.

My previous roles have spanned various sectors and allowed me to really manage employee relations and individual performance.

My personal approach is based on the need to be adaptable and responsive where possible. Every team member is different and every company has its own employee/employer dynamic too. Finding the right way to communicate internally is essential and this is where I can really support my clients.

I am in a fortunate position to have also worked as a line manager in a previous career with responsibility for over 30 people before entering the world of HR. The ability to see things from both sides has proven very useful, along with a pragmatic style that keeps the clear focus on improving efficiency and performance within an organisation.

My experience covers change management, corporate restructuring, redundancy and TUPE as well as developing sound and sustainable employee relations. Feel free to sound me out if you have any questions or challenges to overcome.

taking an adaptable approach ensures a team works well

East of England

To book your place call 01908 248 Or email events@icaew.com

159

T 07725 659039 E Karen@kjhrconsulting.co.uk icaew.com/eastengland

kjhrconsulting.co.uk CONNECTED JUNE 2013 | 9

| PETERBOROUGH CHAMBER NEWS

Peterborough Chamber NEWS

IN BRIEF

A round-up of news and events from across Peterborough

Peterborough Chamber of Commerce

IT contract is child’s play!

June 2013 Queensgate Shine in charity fundraising Shine, the national spina bifida and hydrocephalus charity and current Chamber Charity of the Year, has just finished the most successful year to date as The Queensgate Centre’s Charity of the Year.

Queeensgate has helped raise a record £19,000 for the charity’s vital work with everyone affected by these disabilities.

Active8 IT secures major contract with Kiddicare

ACTIVE8 IT has secured a major contract, against stiff opposition, with UK baby specialist Kiddicare to implement support systems into 10 new stores around the country.

The 24 month contract sees Active8 IT install Citrix systems into each of Kiddicare’s 10 stores. Active8 IT will also supply all the dedicated support, which will include weekends and public holidays.

Lee Bennelick, Active8 IT’s Managing Director, said: “This is a major contract for us and one we are extremely proud to secure.

We are able to provide a truly national service. Our new offices have enabled us to develop a ‘state of the art’ data centre and server room, which has proved ideal to provide the required support and infrastructure the project demands.” n

Benny Bear receives the cheque from Queensgate

Hegarty launch new website

Peterborough beats affordable homes target Peterborough has surpassed its target for the number of affordable homes built in the last 12 months. In total, 276 properties were completed between April 2012 and the end of March 2013.

The new homes will bring an extra £3 million into the city over the next six years due to the New Homes Bonus where the government awards extra funds to local authorities if they are successful in helping build new homes, especially affordable homes.

At the beginning of the year, the city council set itself an ambitious target of doubling the amount of new affordable properties built compared with the year before when 114 new affordable homes had been achieved.

10 | CONNECTED JUNE 2013

HEGARTY Solicitors launch its new website to build on its existing client focused approach. The new site retains the popular interactive features of the old site but includes features such as the online contract review quote calculator for business clients. n

CONTOUR ARCHITECTURAL, part of Contour Autocraft, was secretly commissioned to make more than 600 copper petals to form the spectacular cauldron that lit up the start of both the Olympic and Paralympic games. The opening ceremonies of the London Olympics have been nominated for a BAFTA award.

Marketing Manager Rachel Thomas

PETERBOROUGH CHAMBER NEWS |

Do you have some exciting news to shout about that you would like featured in these pages? Get in touch. tel: 01223 209805 email: s.parr@cambscci.co.uk

Mission for regional dominance continues Their arrival makes the department one of the largest in the area, with 12 specialists who focus purely on wills, trusts, lasting powers of attorney, wealth management and inheritance tax planning, care home fees, and probate and estate administration. n

Photo credit: Alan Bennett, Media Imaging Solutions

BUCKLES Solicitors LLP has made two new appointments to the firm’s wills and probate department.

Ian Cottam joins as Head of Probate for the firm while Sara-Rose Welch has joined as a paralegal.

Security company changes its brand C.UK SECURITY SERVICES announce that the company is now trading as Accent on Security (AOS).

“Changing our trading name reflects who we are and our growth in the security market as one of the very few security companies within the top one per cent of the SIA Approved Contractor Scheme,” said Rog Hatlem. n

Rog Hatlem, Chief Executive

Private Client department at Buckles Solicitors

Loyal team member returns MICKI BRYAN is set to strengthen the team at Anne Corder Recruitment (ACR) on her return from maternity leave.

Micki was hired in 2011 to cover for maternity leave and returns in a newly created role as Digital and Database Administrator working three days a week. n

Micki Bryan returns to work at ACR

Face to Face business in the digital age

Free Thinking Design director Dan Crack with Eileen Le Voi, Safe Local Trades director

TWO web-based companies, Safe Local Trade and Free Thinking Design, have been reaping the benefits of doing business the traditional way - face-to-face.

Safe Local Trades director Eileen Le Voi wanted a web design agency with the technical expertise to take her business to the next level.

Dan Crack, director at Free Thinking Design, said: “We approached the technical challenge by working face-to-face with Eileen to build a more efficient solution. We love this sort of project. To work alongside the client to develop them and leave the business in a better place is the basis of all the services we offer.” n CONNECTED JUNE 2013 | 11

Academia Engages with Business building, once used as a stables and blacksmiths shop in St Neots, and that the report was to be an accurate reflection of past use and to highlight any aspects that were of historical or social importance to the building and the area.

University Centre Peterborough (UCP) recognises that providing a curriculum for local and regional business is crucial to their success.

We have developed innovative successful working relationships with many organisations and businesses where we can provide support across a range of provision. From promoting internship opportunities, working with businesses to help them recruit students on a part-time and full-time basis, discussing how an undergraduate can add value and research and commissioned projects are also welcome.

A recent success is the St Neots Reseacrch Project where a meeting with a property developer recently led to two UCPstudents taking part in producing a report for English Heritage commissioned by Crestel Partnerships, The two successful students were to produce a report that outlined the social history and use of the two-storey

Undergraduates can add value to your business Rick Kelly, a first year BA (Hons) Archaeology and Landscape History student said, “The chance to participate in this archaeological project of determining the historical and social importance of a Grade 2 listed forge and stables gave me an opportunity to practice interview techniques and to be able to experience the real world of corporate archaeology within my first year of study. It was too good to miss and I managed to combine my prior knowledge gained as an RAF Intelligence Officer with newly acquired archaeological skills gained as a student in real time, to produce a product that a professional archaeologist would have been proud of. The course at UCP prepares you quickly for entry into the employment world and gives you the confidence needed for success.”

If you are interested in working with us then please contact us by emailing ucpenquiries@anglia.ac.uk or call 0845 1965750. Alternatively please visit www.peterborough.ac.uk/ucp Step up to a brighter future with University Centre Peterborough!

Why choose us!

•

Expert tuition - all of our lecturers are highly qualified and experienced in their fields

• We embrace innovation and creativity

•

All of our students are dedicated and enthusiastic

• We are supported by the

vision and resource of Peterborough Regional College and Anglia Ruskin University via our Think Peterborough innitiative

Places still available for September 2013 • accounting & finance • business management • marketing • archaeology & landscape history • criminology • English literature • journalism • media studies • psychosocial studies • sociology • integrated engineering • computer science • computing and information systems • construction management • crime and investigative studies • public services • sports coaching and physical education • early years, playwork and education www.peterborough.ac.uk/ucp

0845 196 5750

Find us on

CONNECTED MAGAZINE |

Unite Be part of it

Celebrating our

1,000th apprentice!

By Roderick Sutherland, Assistant Principal Apprenticeship and employer engagement, Peterborough regional College

State of the art setting for Unite summer business forum

CONNECTED magazine is excited to announce it is hosting Unite summer business forum in collaboration with Elms BMW at their state-of-the-art show room in Cambourne on Wednesday 10 July.

The event focuses on driving a sustainable future and will provide the opportunity for business professionals from the region to exchange ideas, expertise and find new ways to work together to build sustainable businesses for the future.

Unite runs from 10.00-16.00 with a mixture of stimulating keynote speakers, an exhibition of local organisations and at the heart of it all, the ‘Think Tank’ ideas forum.

Our Think Tank hosts will lead interactive sessions in social media, technology, social enterprise and profitability. Our academic hosts including Anglia Ruskin and University Centre Peterborough will be on hand to develop employee skills and present funding opportunities for local SMEs. Join us for a day of collaboration and be part of a fresh way to work together and put Cambridgeshire on the map as a hot spot for sustainability.

Register your interest at www.sbfunite.co.uk n

Join the conversation Our hosts will be leading discussions to help you find new ways to reduce the bottom line and increase profits to drive sustainable growth. Here’s just a few: ✓ How to manage your online reputation

✓ Building skills for the future

✓ Access to finance and funding

✓ Managing growth

✓ How to upskill your workforce

✓ The digital revolution

✓H ear from your future councilors

✓ Building a bright future together

Over the past 12 months, Peterborough regional College has been rapidly expanding its delivery of apprenticeships in Peterborough and the east of england. The college now offers 23 types of apprenticeships at Level 2, 3 and 4 covering intermediate to middle management level.

In celebration of its 1,000th apprentice during 2013, Amy Lynn (18) of Print on Demand Worldwide (PODW) was awarded a certificate from the college and £100 of shopping vouchers. The company was also awarded £1,000 of training by the college, as a thank you for their continued support.

Amy has been with PODW since November 2011 and has progressed from her Intermediate (Level 2) and onto her Advanced (Level 3) Apprenticeship in Business and Administration. The company is one of the UK’s leading digital book printers and has contracts with many of the major publishing houses. It is through the development of the apprenticeship programme that the organisation has been able to meet and exceed its customer Amy, the College’s 1,000th apprentice! driven targets.

Andy Cork, Managing Director of PODW said, “Home grown apprentices are one of the best ways to develop new staff. With an apprentice, we are able to teach them about both the business and the industry as well as benefit from their fresh eyes.” roderick Sutherland, Assistant Principal Apprenticeship and employer engagement at Peterborough regional College said, “Print on Demand Worldwide has been an active champion of the apprenticeship programme within Peterborough. They are very much involved in the selection process of their apprentices and this shows through with the quality of the individuals that they employ.”

If you want to find out more about Business and Administration apprenticeships, call the Apprenticeship Centre at Peterborough regional College on 01733 762121 or email apprenticeships@peterborough.ac.uk

CONNECTED JUNE 2013 | 13

| CAMBRIDGE & SOUTH CAMBS CHAMBER NEWS

Cambridge & South Cambs Chamber NEWS IN BRIEF

A round-up of news and events from across Cambridge & South Cambs

Pure gives gift of education

JUNE 2013 Life-saving donation Cambridge Silicon Radio (CSR) has committed to raising money for their ‘UK Charity of the Year’, the East Anglian Air Ambulance (EAAA), and started by presenting them with a cheque for £11,600.

The company chose EAAA following a staff vote after a staff member needed to use the service in 2011.

Workmen during construction of classroom block 1

CSR presnt EAAA with £11,600

Team spirit “Business may be global, but knowledge is local,” says Sarah Flack of Ann Pettengell, as the recruitment agency announces its membership of one of the fastest growing networks of recruitment and employment businesses, TEAM (The Employment Agents Movement).

She explains, “The idea of any business network is certainly not new, but this national network really fills a gap in the recruitment and employment industry.”

Meetings Industry Accolade awarded AN MI A-List Award, the annual celebration for people in the meetings industry, has been given to the Nick Milne, Conference Manager at Robinson College.

Nick has been actively involved in the Meetings Industry Association (MIA) since 1994, serving as Regional Group Chair and then as a member of Council.

Nick says: “I am thrilled to have been given a MI A-List Award and would like to thank my team who put me forward for this honour.” n

Students given great opportunity Analytik provides excellent marketing internships for students at Cambridge Institute for Manufacturing (IfM). “Since 2008, we have provided various research opportunities. Students benefit from a crucial insight into day-to-day work-flow and gain comprehensive knowledge through working with our highly dedicated technical, sales and marketing professionals,” says founder Ian Laidlaw.

14 | CONNECTED JUNE 2013

Cambridge & South Cambs Chamber of Commerce

Nick Milne, Conference Manager at Robinson College receives his prestigious award

PURE Resourcing Solutions (Pure), and its employees are seeing the amazing results of their fundraising for a rural school in The Gambia, West Africa.

Supported by the educational charity Goal for the Gambia, children at Kitty Madarasul Al-huda School are benefitting from £2,000 raised by Jo Bromwich, Recruitment Consultant at Pure. The money was put to good use immediately, funding a new classroom, nursery and toilet block for the over-crowded school. Jo’s passion also inspired the company to make a corporate donation to sponsor two teachers.

“Charity support is at the core of our company ethos, so we made a donation to Goal for the Gambia instead of sending Christmas cards and we are thrilled that it is already benefitting local children,” says Gill Buchanan, Director of Pure. n

Low carbon solution rewarded

Dr Martin Liska and Prof Peter Hewlett being presented with their award

DAVID Ball Group PLC has been awarded £30,000 by Shell to help develop a pioneering idea that could put it at the cutting-edge of the UK’s new low carbon economy.

David Ball Group PLC was announced as a Regional runner-up in the annual Shell Springboard Awards in Edinburgh.

They saw off more than 120 companies to secure a place at the Edinburgh final of this year’s competition and impressed the judges with its cement-free concrete, Cemfree. n

CAMBRIDGE & SOUTH CAMBS CHAMBER NEWS |

Do you have some exciting news to shout about that you would like featured in these pages? Get in touch. tel: 01223 209805 email: s.parr@cambscci.co.uk

Bucking apartment trend in city centre JANUARYS is celebrating after securing planning permission for 11 houses in Cambridge for a private investor.

The properties at 169-173 High Street Chesterton will be built to fulfil a demand for family housing in Cambridge. The trend for building apartments has proved popular recently as developers make maximum use of space.

Associate Nick Muncey says: “We are very pleased to have secured planning permission for housing rather than flats on the Chesterton site. There has been a huge increase in apartments and flats in the city centre which has left a lack of family housing in central Cambridge.” n

Eleven houses will be built in Cambridge to facilitate a lack of family housing

Zooming to success!

CAMBRIDGE-based telephone answering service Zoom Answer Call is on track to triple its turnover within five years after joining the GrowthAccelerator scheme.

Spurred by an ambition to grow the business, managing director Chella Heyes joined the programme to gain access to its resources to aid sustainable and rapid growth.

Professional business coach Tina Dulieu worked with the company to take a planned approach to sales and marketing. She helped Chella understand their blend of business, focusing on selling more profitable services and developing targeted marketing.

Chella says: “Tina has helped me focus on analysing the core services we offer our clients.” n

Tech teams prepare for battle!

Adept and Realnet get in some early preparation at Milton Country Park

TECHNICAL experts Adept Software and Realnet will be putting their business partnership to one side as teams go head-to-head in this year’s Wacky Races in aid of Arthur Rank Hospice Charity.

The two businesses have collaborated since 2011 on a number of web design and integration projects. However, their friendship will be left on the bank as they attempt the quirky obstacle course at Milton Country Park.

“We have worked closely with Realnet for over two years and know each other’s technical

ability inside out. Our sporting skills have never been discussed so we’ll have to wait and see who wins on the lake,” says David Smith from Adept.

Wacky Races has been shortlisted in the Small Businesses Challenge Event category at this year’s Third Sector charity awards. n

Wacky Races receives national recognition

Building Society renames bank holiday THE Cambridge Building Society encouraged people to give the Building Society sector a thought on May ‘Bank’ holiday by referring to it as a Building Society Holiday.

The Society took to social media to get people using the alternative name for the upcoming public holiday.

Carole Charter from The Cambridge, says: “We wanted to get people on board to celebrate the Building Society sector and thought renaming the Holiday was a fitting tribute!”

The Cambridge also recently celebrated its 163rd AGM in April.

The Cambridge Building Society harnessed social media to bring its Building Society Holiday campaign to life

CONNECTED JUNE 2013 | 15

| CAMBRIDGE & SOUTH CAMBS CHAMBER NEWS

Cambridge & South Cambs Chamber NEWS

A round-up of news and events from across Cambridge & South Cambs

Cambridge & South Cambs Chamber of Commerce

PR company goes ‘Cuckoo’

Cambridge City Hotel has teamed up with a supplier to use chef’s jackets made from recycled bottles and waste polyester fibre. Ernesto Santarelli, Acting General Manager, said: “We have found these jackets to be just as durable, cool and comfortable as conventional whites, but with a considerably lower environmental impact.”

CUCKOO Clothing, leading independent fashion retailer for women, is excited to announce a partnership with Quite Great who will be handling all PR matters.

Cuckoo’s founder, Michelle, says: “We are really excited to be working with the PR company. The Quite Great team totally understand the demographic of Cuckoo’s target market; it’s a perfect partnership.”

Pete Bassett, Founder of Quite Great, says: “It’s an honour to be working with Cuckoo, probably the most forward thinking and customer facing independent retailer in Cambridge. We have had exciting and creative meetings to map out initiatives for 2013 – and the team has just gone Cuckoo crazy.” n

Quite Great to work with Cuckoo Clothing

Safe and Secure SAFEBOX, the provider of secure document and data storage, has identified a growing need among Cambridgeshire businesses for improved disaster recovery strategies. The company stores paper and digital archives in a purpose-built, high security local facility.

Neil Hamilton-Meikle from the company says, “We understand that business is about building relationships that revolve around trust, confidence and, most importantly, security. We know that when flooding, fire or theft occurs, our clients appreciate one Neil Hamilton-Meikle, Safebox Data Centre less headache.” n

Great Prospects from the EACH Quiz PROSPECT Research raised over £2,000 from its fourth annual charity quiz in aid of EACH (East Anglia Children’s Hospice).

On 18 April, in the refined surroundings of Emmanuel College, 13 teams vied for the title of Smartest Company in Cambridgeshire.

The raffle and auction were well supported, and local companies won prizes donated by local companies.

Chris Walthew, MD of Prospect Research, said: “Our sincere thanks to EACH, Emmanuel College for their hospitality, and all the participants for their enthusiasm and generosity on the night.” n

16 | CONNECTED JUNE 2013

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| HUNTINGDONSHIRE CHAMBER NEWS

Huntingdonshire Chamber NEWS

A round-up of news and events from Huntingdonshire

Award for Maxine Lester

Flex-Able is A1!

FLEXECARS have acquired one of Audi’s latest A1s to their fleet of vehicles.

Richard Vanbergen, Group Managing Director of The FlexAble Group, said: “The A1 is not as spacious as our normal fleet vehicles, but our CO2 credentials are going to take some beating! Having this vehicle on the fleet is a major tick in the green box.”

Richard added: “As there are obvious savings to be had, all transportation using this vehicle will receive a 7.5 per cent discount.”

Flex-Able Travel purchased its first vehicle in 1999 and has now grown to a private hire fleet of 18.

MAXINE LESTER Residential achieved the highest listing locally and was awarded a Top 10 placement for the East Anglian Region in the Estate & Letting Agent Awards (ESTAS).

The ESTAS determine the best letting agents in the country through research carried out amongst customers.

18 | CONNECTED JUNE 2013

The award was announced by Phil Spencer, the TV Property expert, at the 10th annual ESTAS ceremony at the Hilton Park Lane.

Maxine Lester, director of Maxine Lester Residential Lettings, said: “We are absolutely delighted to be recognised for the 2013 ESTAS. It means so much to us.” n

Beth Shinton, Phil Spencer, Maxine Lester and Tania Fullalove

Jeremy Sallis visits Beacon

Tony Larkins and Jeremy Sallis outside Beacon’s current office

Huntingdonshire Chamber of Commerce

BEACON Wealth Management Ltd had a visit from Jeremy Sallis, BBC Radio Cambridgeshire presenter, for an interview in his weekly feature ‘Workplace Wednesday’.

With Beacon voted the best financial advisers in East of England 2013, Jeremy Sallis was eager to visit them to find out more.

During Jeremy’s visit, he spoke to many of the Beacon team and visited the chapel which Beacon are renovating into their new offices.

He discovered that there are around 123 bodies buried under the car park and garden!

The full interview can be found on Beacons website. n

HRC welcomes MP HUNTINGDONSHIRE Regional College welcomed Jonathan Djanogly to their training centre on the new Alconbury Enterprise Zone. He came to celebrate the finish of the first Green Skills course, to have a look at the brand new facilities, meet some students

and learn more about the courses on offer at the centre.

Staff and students of HRC gave him a tour of the venue and Rebecca Britton from Urban & Civic explained the future prospects for the centre and the Alconbury Weald. n

Susanne Stent with Jonathan Djanogly and Rebecca Britton

CAMBRIDGESHIRE CHAMBER NEWS |

Cambridgeshire Chamber NEWS

A round-up of news and events from Cambridgeshire

Boost for conference and training at Wyboston

Wyboston Lakes’ new Willows Conference Suite

WYBOSTON Lakes has announced a significant new space for training events, the Willows Conference Suite. The suite provides space for 260 delegates in a theatre style room with features including high definition laptop input, wireless technology using Apple AirPlay and iPad-controlled sound and lighting.

The refurbishment is designed to increase its market share within its target sector, creating increased demand for training facilities from organisations in key sectors such as retail and the public sector.

The Training Centre offers an unmatched choice of conference and training options. n

Awards for Courageous Success LIZ VILLANI, Director of Courageous Success, was named Business Person of the Year at the Grantham Journal Business Awards for 2013 held in April.

The company also won the award for People Development.

More than 200 people turned out for the black tie event as more awards than ever were handed out by an array of sponsors and hosted by the Journal’s editor, Paul Richardson. n

Shortlisted for ESTAS IN April, the Lemontree team attended the ESTAS awards in London, which recognises the best letting agencies in the UK. They were shortlisted in the top six for the Eastern region and joined by other leading agencies who they could share ideas and expertise with.

As an independent agent, Lemontree are proud to be challenging against top national chains of agencies with their performance scores. They pride themselves on their dedicated care to clients and on being recognised for this against large organisations with more generous budgets. n

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CONNECTED JUNE 2013 | 19

| CONNECTED MAGAZINE

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20 | CONNECTED JUNE 2013

SPECIAL REPORT |

In the HOTSEAT

Doug Perkins Economic Development Officer, East Cambridgeshire District Council

Keen to increase growth in the local area, Doug Perkins of the East Cambridgeshire Business Development team is working to promote Ely, Littleport, Soham and Newmarket as the perfect places to start or expand a business.

WITH an ever-increasing number of businesses moving away from the big cities to avoid high commercial property costs and lengthy commutes, more and more of them are finding solace by relocating to East Cambridgeshire.

The East Cambridgeshire Business Development team also run their own e-space business centres aimed at start ups and small and growing businesses to allow people to take the first step into the district.

What all the fuss is about

Going the extra mile

Doug Perkins is part of the East Cambridgeshire Business Development team and is working to promote the area as a perfect choice for new and expanding businesses.

“One of the main things that really attracts businesses to East Cambridgeshire is the low business rents and rateable values, which are three times lower than Cambridge and the South East in general,” says Doug.

“However, in no way does that mean East Cambridgeshire is disconnected. It has strong train links, as there are mainline connections to all major UK cities, including direct lines to London, which is only an hour away from Ely.”

Pairing businesses with the appropriate properties is only part of the package. “We also provide a business mentoring service and put businesses in touch with funding and advice specialists who can help them get grants to improve growth. We try to use anything and everything there is at our disposal to ensure local businesses are growing and continue to grow in the years to come.”

“We also work closely with schools and colleges in the area to help local people find employment where they are rather than having to commute to London on a daily basis. This equally benefits the employer too, as they have access to a selection of fully qualified staff on their doorstep”.

Tailored to you At the heart of the campaign is 360°, a website devoted to providing business owners with the means to find the property that meets their demands. The database is compiled of properties from over 20 of Cambridgeshire’s leading commercial property agents. “Using 360°, business owners are able to browse commercial property and development land in the area,” says Doug.

“Best of all, the service is completely free.”

Watch this space Doug sums up by saying that many businesses have realised the potential in East Cambridgeshire and have already started reaping its rewards. "However, there are over 150 hectares of available business development land left to fill, so there is still much room to grow.“ n

360° facts 360° highlights some of main advantages of the East Cambridgeshire area: L ow business rents with rateable values

Well connected train routes Business flights from Stansted Affordable business units Existing supply chains and distribution businesses Specialist sector support and advice Development land availability with prices ranging from £150,000 Low workforce housing costs Highly qualified local workforce

www.360ec.co.uk

CONNECTED JUNE 2013 | 21

| OUT & ABOUT

Out&About Enjoy our monthly montage of events and happenings across the local area with this colourful round-up of Chamber gatherings. Make sure you send us your photos each month and we’ll include the best of the bunch! Email images straight to the creative team: connected@methodcreative.co.uk

Huntingdonshire Business Fair 130 exhibitors and 450 visitors attended the Huntingdonshire Business Fair at Wood Green Animal Shelter on Thursday 18 April.

Photos courtesy of Martin Bird Photography

iiE Silver Award

Star Shine Stroll

John Bridge, Helen Bosett and Gill Prangnell proudly display our recent achievement of the Investors in the Environment Silver Award. This award declares that the Chamber is an Investor in the Environment, committed to reducing the environmental impact and the continual improvement of environmental performance.

Emily Coe, Alex Searle & Jane Harris from Polkadotfrog completed the Star Shine Stroll Walk in aid of the Arthur Rank Hospice Charity.

22 | CONNECTED JUNE 2013

OUT & ABOUT |

£6,000 for ACT John Bridge and Sadie Parr presented Dr Vincent Gnanapragasam, Consultant at Addenbrooke’s, with a cheque for £6,000 raised while Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust was Charity of the Year.

Safari Networking Breakfast Members network Safari style during April at our breakfast event held at the Bull Hotel, Peterborough.

Informal Networking Evening A delegation of students from Hong Kong and China University were welcomed to the Cambridge & South Cambs Chamber Informal Networking Evening at the start of May.

Poets House launch evening The launch of Poets House, Ely, was attended by Freda Kirchen from the Chamber.

Guests were given a tour of the facilities and there was ample time for networking over drinks and nibbles.

CONNECTED JUNE 2013 | 23

| COMMERCIAL FEATURE

Web Site Positioning What a mouth-full… the term, ‘Search Engine Optimisation’ conjures up a number of images and depending on what line of work you are from, this may vary from a precision adjustment of a military stealth machine to some car engine tinkering, which takes place at service time and costs you most of the content of your bank account. Whatever the term means, surely there has to be an oily mess and a bloke (or three) with grubby hands in it somewhere… doesn’t there?

Not so of course – the ‘engine’ to which I refer is that of a ‘database’ engine relating to web site searches. This engine is nice and clean and free of any moving or metallic parts, thank goodness!

However, it does still require regular maintenance, very much so.

So what exactly does this ‘engine’ do? A rhetorical question of course; the function is to work out where your web site is to be positioned for a given term ie: go to Google, Bing or Yahoo and type in ‘washing machine spares’. The resultant list is produced by the aforementioned ‘engine’. The ‘given term’ (search term) is that which you typed. If your company sells ‘washing machine spares’ you will probably want to see your web site on this list and for it to be at the top or at least on page one. The further away from page one you travel the less likely you are to be found or more the case the less likely you are to get any business from it.

The ‘optimisation’ is what assists the ‘engine’ to place your web site at the displayed position. It goes without

saying that if your web site has no ‘optimisation’ or indeed it is poorly optimised (very often the case) then its position will be affected and it probably won’t be on page one – certainly not by natural means; which is the term used when your web site is positioned purely by means of technique as opposed to payment of a fee. Natural optimisation is the art of knowing how the ‘engine’ functions and how to make it work in your favour… naturally.

The ‘fee’ method, I mentioned above and known under the generic term as ‘pay per click’ (PPC), is where you decide upon your ‘Search Term’ and pay each time someone clicks on your web site link via this term – hence ‘pay per click’. Google’s product for this type of optimisation is named Adwords.

In theory this is wonderful however, if your search term is popular ie: wanted by many then you’re likely to be paying hundreds if not thousands of pounds each month and unlike natural optimisation, which will probably encompass a number of search terms – ‘pay per click’ is, as it denotes, per search term.

Both methods have their place and need continual assessment in order to maintain web site position. Optimisation is a craft not just a skill, it involves very careful analysis, dedication and precision; it is the work of an SEO specialist and more often than not – this isn’t, as many would believe, a web site designer.

To sum up: Natural optimisation takes time to work, whereas ‘pay per click’ optimisation is immediate. The former will almost certainly cost less and give far more value when viewed over a period of time against that of ‘pay per click’.

Like most things in business - a balance is required. Get it wrong and you risk not only significant costs but, no resulting business either – not a good combination.

For a free, no obligation, review and report of your website’s current optimisation status or for details on our SEO packages (including money back guarantees) please visit our website:

www.wiseotter.com

24 | CONNECTED JUNE 2013

ASK THE EXPERT |

Ask the expert: Backing up data James Barnett, Senior IT Engineer and cloud back-up expert at Active8 IT, answers common questions relating to data back-up.

Q

e are currently using tapes to back W up all of our data on a daily basis. Is this ok? I am concerned that things may be lost.

A

This is one of the most common issues documented and an important question. It is essential to regularly perform test restores and validate what is actually backed-up; with tape backups this is quite often overlooked. Due to the nature of the media it can be time consuming especially as tapes may need to be couriered back to site.

Another issue is that many companies that use tapes don’t actually take them offsite, which potentially can lead to full data loss if the premises were to have a fire etc.

Q

e are thinking of using a Cloud W Back-up service provider. How and when is the Data backed up?

A

Software is installed on an existing on-site server or a dedicated back-up server. The required servers and data can then be selected for backup. The backup server simply needs relevant

user credentials and network access to the data required.

The back-ups can be configured to run as and when is appropriate to meet your requirements and there is also the capability to manage the bandwidth usage for offsiting of data. Another advantage of the software is automatic updating, which is centrally controlled by your service provider so no user input is required.

Q A

hat if I need to retrieve my data, W how quickly can this happen?

There are three methods of retrieval:

Local storage retrieval This is most commonly just the latest generation of a file and is held on your site for very rapid LAN or DAS speed recovery.

Offsite internet retrieval Any data to be restored that is not local can be retrieved over the internet and the speed here is almost virtually dependent upon internet connection

due to the very high speed links in the data centre.

Offsite couriered retrieval If a very large restore is required you can also request a ‘DisktoTape’, which means required data would be extracted using an automated system and encrypted data can be shipped for local retrieval.

Q

e have a large amount of financial W data, can this be compressed and how will it be safe?

A

Ensure that you use a provider that hosts your data in this country using their own equipment so no third parties have access to data and cannot get hold of data. The back-ups should be encrypted ranging from DES 56bit up to AES-256.

The majority of data can be compressed with some formats reaching an 8:1 ratio and due to the incremental forever methodology the effective compression becomes more noticeable over time as only delta changes are sent. n

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CONNECTED JUNE 2013 | 25

| CHAMBER EVENTS

CHAMBER EVENTS Please visit the Chamber website for full details of all future Chamber events www.cambridgeshirechamber.co.uk

Your essential business calendar for the next month

Women in Management DATE Thursday 13 June TIME 9.00am registration, 9.30-11.30am LOCATION Great Northern Hotel, Station Approach, Peterborough, PE1 1QL PRICE £45.00 (plus VAT) Chamber members, £60.00 (plus VAT) non-Chamber members CONTACT Kelly Hewitt on 01733 370809 or email k.hewitt@cambscci.co.uk Are you in a leadership role or looking to step up into one?

Do you want to become a more effective leader?

Workshop 2: Understanding Ourselves Really understanding ourselves and others is the key to successful people management and leadership. This session includes an individual extended DISC profile, giving insights into how you communicate, how others see you and how that impacts on their behaviour.

Further details can be found within the Business Women’s page of the Chamber website. Attendees will receive CPD accreditation provided by Chartered Management Institute.

Workshop 3: Conflict and confrontation takes place on 25 September n

Cambridgeshire Export Club DATE Monday 24 June TIME 5.00-7.00pm LOCATION Park Inn Hotel, Peterborough, PE1 1DH PRICE Free to attend CONTACT Helen Bosett on 01733 370809 or email h.bosett@cambscci.co.uk Informal networking evening for anyone participating in, or considering, exporting. An invaluable forum to exchange views with other exporters and keep up-to-date with developments in a rapidly changing global business environment.

Cambridgeshire Export Club meets on the last Monday of the month.

Check out dates and locations on the website for future meetings. n

26 | CONNECTED JUNE 2013

Interactive event to help companies become top employers DATE Tuesday 25 June TIME 8.45-11.30am LOCATION Huntingdon Racecourse, Brampton, Huntingdon, PE28 4NL PRICE £20.00 (plus VAT) Chamber members, £30.00 (plus VAT) non-Chamber members The next HR and Recruitment Sector event looks set to be packed full of tips on employee engagement, action planning and wellbeing taster activities.

The morning will kick-start with a healthy breakfast and the opportunity to check out the spa, which includes tasters on posture, fitness, nutrition, outdoor fitness, care at work and mindfulness.

After breakfast, Macmillan will present its ‘toolkit’ packed full of resources for supporting employees who may be affected, one way or another, by serious illness.

Four members will then share a presentation on why applying the principles of The Sunday Times Top 100 Best Employers’ survey makes good sense for any sized-organisation.

Committee Chair, Judith Underhill, said: “The survey looks at eight engagement factors: leadership, my manager, my company, my team, fair deal, wellbeing, personal growth and giving something back. These are all areas where best practice can be applied to ensure happy staff equals happy customers and increased productivity.”

Facilitated safari-style discussions will look at the factors in detail giving delegates the opportunity to complete an action plan.

To book your place please contact Kelly Hewitt on 01733 370809 or book online n

CHAMBER EVENTS |

Quiz and BBQ DATE Tuesday 2 July TIME 6.00pm for a 6.30pm start LOCATION The Quality®Hotel, Thorpe Meadows, Peterborough, PE3 6GA PRICE £65.00 (plus VAT) per team of four This year’s annual Quiz and BBQ will take you on a sumptuous journey of delights through the decades – from the 60s through to present day.

It’s a great team-building opportunity with a chance to wow colleagues and squoosh opponents. Spot prizes will be awarded during the evening whilst teams vie for the coveted Hegarty Shield, attempting to prise it away from 2012 champions DSM (UK) – are you up to the challenge?

Our quiz would not be the same with out our compare Phil Elmer who will steer us through the years with seven rounds of 10 mind-boggling but light-hearted questions before the BBQ is served.

This popular annual event will also raise funds for the Chambers’ nominated charity of the year, Shine.

To book your team please contact Kelly Hewitt on 01733 370809 or e-mail your details including team leader, company and contact details to k.hewitt@cambscci.co.uk n

Last year’s Quiz & BBQ at Elton Furze Golf Club

Chamber Member Induction Mornings Peterborough DATE Tuesday 4 June TIME 9.30-11.30am LOCATION Chamber Offices, 6 The Forum, Minerva Business Park, Lynch Wood, Peterborough, PE2 6FT Cambridge DATE Thursday 6 June TIME 9.30-11.30am LOCATION Skills Funding Agency, The Business Centre, Station Road, Histon, Cambridge, CB24 9LQ PRICE Free to attend CONTACT Bren Coleman on 01223 209811 or email b.coleman@cambscci.co.uk

Informal Networking Evenings June 2013 Wed 5, 19

The Quality® Hotel Peterborough

5.00-7.00pm

Thurs 6, 20

Holiday Inn, Impington, Cambridge

5.00-7.00pm

Mon 10

The Lamb Hotel, Ely

5.00-7.00pm

Wed 12

Waterfront Bar, Wyboston Lakes

5.00-7.00pm

Tues 18

The Old Bridge Hotel, Huntingdon

5.00-7.00pm

Wed 26

Elgood & Sons, Wisbech

5.00-7.00pm

Networking Events SAFARI NETWORKING LUNCH

Meet the Neighbours Quiz and Hog Roast!

DATE Wednesday 24 July TIME 5.00-8.00pm LOCATION Elgood & Sons, Wisbech, PE13 1LN PRICE £10.00 (plus VAT) Chamber members, £18.00 (plus VAT) non-Chamber members Join the Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Lincolnshire Chambers of Commerce for a ‘three for the price of one’ networking evening on Wednesday 24 July at Elgoods Brewery, Wisbech.

In addition to our usual informal networking evening, we invite you to stay and enjoy a hog roast then go head-to-head in teams, taking part in a general knowledge themed quiz. The competition will be fierce as prizes will be awarded for not only the winning team but also the winning county.

CONTACT Karen Dawson on 01223 209808 or email k.dawson@cambscci.co.uk n

DATE Friday 7 June TIME 11.45am-2.00pm LOCATION Downing College, Regent Street, Cambridge, CB2 1DQ MEMBER PRICE £15.00 (plus VAT) NON-MEMBER PRICE £22.50 (plus VAT) CONTACT k.dawson@cambscci.co.uk or book online at www.cambridgeshirechamber.co.uk

SPEED NETWORKING BREAKFAST DATE Friday 28 June TIME 7.45-10.00amLOCATION Orton Hall Hotel, Orton Longueville, Peterborough, PE2 7DN MEMBER PRICE £15.00 (plus VAT) NON-MEMBER PRICE £22.50 (plus VAT) CONTACT k.dawson@cambscci.co.uk or book online at www.cambridgeshirechamber.co.uk

CONNECTED JUNE 2013 | 27

| POLICY UPDATE

Policy UPDATE Keeping you informed, representing local business

Cathedral event is huge success DESPITE almost arctic conditions in the Lady Chapel at Ely Cathedral, most delegates stayed to the bitter end of the Grow your Business through People event.

Grahame Nix, Chairman of the Greater Cambridge Greater Peterborough Enterprise Partnership, told us that he is committed to supporting businesses because business success will deliver long-term economic prosperity for the area. The success of individual businesses depends upon the skills of the people they employ.

The highlight of the event was hearing from three Chamber businesses that have grown through their people.

First up were M Rogerson Ltd, Plumbing and Mechanical Services.

They have three apprentices at various stages of development. They believe that employing apprentices helps them to future-proof their business and that it ensures they provide customers with consistent, reliable, high quality service. Danny, one of their apprentices, said he trained at Cambridge Regional College and is continuing to gain essential hands-on experience while working for Rogerson’s.

Michell Instruments based at Lancaster Way Business Park, an international leader in high-precision instrumentation products to industries as diverse as power generation and food processing. They offer a couple of apprenticeships each year and currently have four apprentices in training through West Anglia Training Association. We heard from Amy, who started as an apprentice and has progressed to the position of supervisor. It was clear that Amy loves every minute of her job and has no problem keeping junior male employees in line.

The final case study was from Quotient Bio Analytical Sciences

at Fordham, a leading provider of analytical and specialist drug development services to life science clients worldwide. Quotient believes that investing in staff training ensures they are able to attract, develop and retain the best people. We heard from Clare, who is currently undertaking an MBA whilst working full time and is proof that continuing professional development delivers success for both employee and employer.

After a break for a warming drink and networking, delegates took part in a workshop delivered by Caroline Robinson from Sadler Training, designed to help them GROW their business by planning for future success.

The success of individual businesses depends upon the skills of the people they employ Throughout the morning training providers and other partners were on hand to inform delegates about the wide range of training and support available locally to help their business grow.

The Learning and Skills Sector will be running a follow-up event in Ely next year and is planning a similar event later in this year in Cambridge. If you would like to be involved please get in touch: g.prangnell@cambscci.co.uk n

The Grow your Business through People event at Ely Cathedral took place during Ely Celebration of Business week

28 | CONNECTED JUNE 2013

CHAMBER UPDATES |

Chamber Updates An overview of news from your Chamber

Chamber Awards 2013 CELEBRATING 10 years of success, the Chamber Awards are back. With new categories including Online Business of the Year, this year’s Awards are set to be bigger and better than ever.

The Chamber Awards recognise and reward business success across the UK with a range of specialist categories to meet the needs of any organisation. Entry to the Awards is free to members of Accredited Chamber of Commerce. This year’s categories include: ✓ Online Business of the Year ✓ Most Promising New Business ✓ Exporter of the Year ✓ Excellence in Innovation ✓ Commitment to People Development ✓ Marketing Campaign of the Year ✓ Outstanding Personal Achievement ✓ The Sustainability Award.

The entry process couldn’t be simpler, with full category details and submissions made online on the new and improved Chamber Awards website. The site will be regularly updated with information and inspiration, including previous winners’ case studies and winning tips from a number of key industry sources.

So, what are you waiting for?

With a simpler, bigger and better Chamber Awards than ever, don’t miss out on the opportunity to win one of the UK’s most coveted business awards.

Give your business a winning chance of claiming a Chamber Award today – visit www.chamberawards.co.uk n

The Awards are now open for entry until 28 June and regional winners will be announced on 30 September. The Awards will then conclude with the prestigious gala awards dinner on 28 November in London, where one business will be crowned ‘Business of the Year’ and presented with a £25,000 cash prize.

Margaret Chadwick

Export Clinic Have you got a query about export? Margaret Chadwick answers your questions.

Q

We are exporting goods to the US and being asked to provide form DSP-61, can you advise where we obtain this form?

This is a temporary import licence enabling military items to be temporarily imported into the US and facilitates their export thereafter. To raise a DSP-61, the freight forwarder/clearing agent has to be registered on the Dept State System in the US (D-trade). The DSP-61 would also be required if you were transiting military items via the US, e.g. if you were going via the US to Canada. You can not raise the form, you need to employ the services of a freight forwarder/clearing agent in the US. n

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CONNECTED JUNE 2013 | 29

| CHAMBER CHARITY OF THE YEAR

Planning to Shine!

Here at Shine we have been looking forward to beginning our Charity of the Year with the Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce for some time.

HOWEVER, we never expected that we would be able to share our first success story in the May edition of CONNECTED, just one month into the new financial year!

Having attended the Huntingdonshire Business Fair at the Woodgreen Animal Shelter on 18 April I was able to meet representatives from a variety of businesses.

Among those we spoke with I met Rachel Hatt of Waterland Associates – Architects, Oundle. We had a really positive conversation in which I explained that we are looking to better utilise our conferencing facilities in Peterborough city centre.

To make this happen we need to make some changes to the building, and for this we need an architect! Rachel suggested I contact David Smith, the firm’s Principle Architect, and a few days later we had a meeting.

The meeting with David was a refreshing experience, often when discussing corporate

partnerships there is a lack of clarity about how interested the corporate agency is regarding involvement in charity work.

David was straight to the point and, having heard our ideas, immediately suggested professional solutions which will provide more efficient use of our limited resources.

In addition to this, David then explained that his firm would be willing to complete the work pro bono due to their commitment to assisting charities where possible. He also went on to recall childhood memories of visiting the coast with his mother who worked as an Occupational Therapist and supported individuals living with spina bifida.

Waterland Associates are already beginning the process of assessing our plans in preparation for the changes we need to capitalise on our comprehensive conferencing suite in an ideal location for a variety of uses.

If this is a sign of the year to come then it should be a very special time in the life of the Chamber and Shine. If you think your company could partner with Shine please call Tom Scott, Marketing and Events Manager, on 01733 421361 or email tom.scott@shinecharity.org.uk

If this is a sign of the year to come then it should be a very special time in the life of the Chamber and Shine

30 | CONNECTED JUNE 2013

EDUCATION UPDATE |

Education Keeping you informed, representing local business

Update

Raising the Participation age What do the up-and-coming changes for young people staying in education mean to your business?

MORE and more jobs within the UK economy in the future will require a higher level of skills, training and qualifications. The changes to the participation age will help prepare our young people for successful careers and will help equip the UK workforce for the demands of the 21st century.

This year, all young people in England will be required to continue in education or training until they are 17. By 2015, it will be compulsory for learners to remain in education or training until they are 18. Young people will still be able to work, as long as they are also engaged in education or training. It will primarily be the responsibility of the young people to make sure that they do, but employers can also play an important role in helping to make sure that their 16 and 17 year old employees continue to learn.

The change in participation age does not necessarily mean learners will have to stay in school. Young people will be able to choose from a number of different options including:

✓ Full-time education – such as in school or in college ✓ Work-based learning – such as an apprenticeship ✓P art-time education or training (if employed, self-employed or volunteering for more than 20 hours a week).

Colleges have a key role to play in upskilling the workforce of the future and will work closely with employers to ensure students are ready and confident to enter the world of work. n

AS AN EMPLOYER THE BENEFITS TO YOU ARE CLEAR 1. Ensuring you have the skilled workforce you need 2. Access to training for staff aged 16 – 18 at no cost

CONNECTED JUNE 2013 | 31

R E T IGH WS R B O RR O M TO ✓

50% internship funding available*

✓

a dedicated full-time graduate for up to 12 weeks

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OuR InTERnSHIp pROGRaMME IS THE SOuRcE Of yOuR fuTuRE BuSInESS SuccESS Up to 50 organisations each year benefit from having our highly qualified and motivated interns within their workplaces. Working closely with you, we will find the candidate with the right skills to meet your specific needs.

apply now for summer interns!

To find out how you can get involved, call 0845 196 3177 or email kimberley.lilley@anglia.ac.uk

business.anglia.ac.uk

*We are delighted to offer this subsidy but it won’t last forever.

We’ll go halves with you, subject to sector criteria.

“Our intern was able to focus on a particular business issue... within three days he came back with a solution.

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LEP FOCUS |

LEP FOCUS

Keeping you informed and up to date

Great ideas win prizes!

Local voluntary organisations and social enterprises are being asked to come forward with innovative new ideas to help support unemployed and socially disadvantaged people return to work.

The Greater Cambridge Greater Peterborough Enterprise Partnership (LEP) has announced that it will earmark £1 million of funding over the next three years to deliver this ground-breaking Prize Challenge Fund scheme.

The Fund will offer up to 10 prizes for innovation to organisations working in the Voluntary and Social Enterprise (VSE) sector that can improve and develop the skills of people who are experiencing multiple challenges and struggling to access sustained employment.

Grahame Nix, Chair of the Greater Cambridge Greater Peterborough LEP, explains: “The LEP understands the importance of having an appropriately skilled workforce to our region.

The Prize Challenge Fund will provide a number of cash prizes that organisations can use to generate positive outcomes.

“We aim to help 1,000 disadvantaged people to become job ready and 250 people into paid employment within our area through this activity. By fostering innovation, we are creating new approaches for the future that will help our area to remain at the forefront of economic growth.”

£1M PR IZ CHALLE E NGE FUND

The Prize Challenge Fund will be managed

by Cambridgeshire Community Foundation, with the capacity-building and facilitation support of Big Society Funding CIC. Evaluation partners are Social Enterprise East of England.

Project aims ✓ T o help 1,000 disadvantaged people become work ready ✓ T o get 250 people into paid employment ✓ T o support and develop 10 innovative projects

By fostering innovation, we are creating new approaches

Further information can be found online after the official launch on Monday 20 May 2013 at:

LEP TEAM EXPANDS! The LEP has welcomed two new members of the team this month to help support their work to develop the local economy.

Experienced Programme Manager Michael Barnes has joined the team to manage and deliver key funding schemes across the area after most recently working for local charity, Cambridgeshire ACRE. Prior to this, Michael gained extensive policy and programme experience working for the Government Office for the East of England and Defra.

The team has also welcomed Michelle Crosse, an experience Executive Assistant who will be supporting the team in the future.

yourlocalenterprisepartnership.co.uk/PrizeChallenge

CONNECTED JUNE 2013 | 33

| SPECIAL REPORT

Political LANDSCAPE

Out of control Our dedicated business correspondent, Ian MacKellar, is the former Business Editor of the Hunts Post and joins CONNECTED to explore the issues affecting our business community.

FOR the first time since New Labour’s Tony Blair became Prime Minister in May 1997 no party has overall control of Cambridgeshire County Council.

The previously-ruling Tories are still the dominant party, with 32 of the 69 seats – three short of an overall majority – so deals may have to be done at the margins for decision-making to work.

The main change is that we now have 12 councillors from the UK Independence Party, variously portrayed as ‘clowns’, ‘fruitcakes’ and ‘closet racists’. Whatever the merits of those descriptions, they are certainly single-issue, antiEU, economically-illiterate xenophobes. The other parties can either work with them or sideline them.

By the time you read this we shall have either a minority Conservative administration, bolstered by different allies on different issues, or a coalition, as in Westminster.

What we need from our new councillors – 39 have not previously been county councillors, though have served on district authorities – is honesty, integrity, good will and common sense. Some politicians have those qualities in spades, others, as we are likely to discover, simply have clubs.

34 | CONNECTED JUNE 2013

No party has overall control of Cambridgeshire County Council

In practice, little will change, though policy will become more difficult to make and the council may have to become more democratic – but that will be noticed only by local government anoraks.

The main issues will still be the A14 – including pressure on Cambridge City Council to join other councils in saving Chancellor Osborne’s face over the upgrade – climate change and wind farms (UKIP deniers taking on Lib-Dem evangelists, though the Planning Inspectorate will always have the last word), and the vexed question of whether schools should be encouraged to seek academy status – a red rag to the Lib-Dem bull.

But most county council policies are matters of Butskellite consensus and will continue unabated. Nobody is quarrelling with the enterprise zone at Alconbury Airfield, building the long-overdue Ely bypass or rolling out superfast broadband across the county.

The trouble is that most of these issues do not sit easily in 2013 with the tiny authorities created by the 1972 Local Government Act. It is time for a new structure for public service delivery. n

BUSINESS COMMUNITY |

Business Keeping you informed, representing local business

Community

WORDS OF WISDOM ELY Cathedral was once again abuzz with life as it played host to the second Celebration of Business event organised by the Ely Cathedral Business Group.

Despite the cold weather, over a hundred businesses of all sizes came out in force to attend the event on 11 April. The day started with a business exhibition, B2B promotion and

a networking event, which allowed businesses both to promote their services and get a taste for what other local organisations had to offer. This was followed by a formal welcome

and keynote speeches from George Freeman MP, who talked about how to save a dying economy, and Bishop David Thompson, who discussed the importance of ethical business.

THE CRISIS OF DISCONNECTION PEOPLE OR PROFIT?

GEORGE FREEMAN MP

BISHOP DAVID THOMPSON ❝ There is a clear moral call on all of us to have a robust commitment to the common good and extend the circle of benefit to family and neighbours. Just makings loads of money for the great and wonderful me is just not on.

❝ We are living through a deep crisis of political economy. At its core is a corrosive problem of disconnection. Politics is the traditional way that a society expresses its own sense of ownership of destiny. However, I believe that our politics is failing.

But how? Well, a bunch of words beginning with P in fact: Passion, Purpose and Plan, Profit and People. My thesis is that if you can have a great passion firing up a great purpose and plan with great profit and people, you’ll be buying out Bill Gates before the year is up. So people or profit? The answer is ‘both’.

The economic crisis is a symptom of political and social/cultural failure in which we have allowed ourselves to become slaves to a political-economic model which is flawed. This has accelerated and legitimised the collapse of the values and virtues that makes life meaningful and purposive to us.

There are plenty of genuinely ethical and profitable products, such as the outrageously named Pants to Poverty, which I came across recently. My hope is that we will continue to be adventurous and entrepreneurial in tracking down products that mean we have our cake and eat it, making good profits in both senses of the words. ❞

We need to use this crisis as the basis for embracing a profoundly different, more locally driven, and more connected model of economic growth and social and political reform. However, we can only do that from the grassroots up through expressing and giving effect to our shared ambitions for the people and places that matter to us. ❞

CONNECTED JUNE 2013 | 35

| NEW CHAMBER MEMBERS

NEW Members

A warm welcome to our new Chamber members

NEW MEMBERS

Bidwells

Cashbacs International Ltd

THIS MONTH

www.bidwells.co.uk

www.cashbacs.co.uk

Established over 170 years ago, Bidwells is one of the UK’s leading property consultancies employing 500 people in 12 offices and providing a full range of services across the commercial, residential and rural sectors. Their depth of their knowledge, focus on delivery and the fact that everything they do is designed to help clients achieve their goals is what’s made them so successful through the years.

Cashbacs International Ltd is a BACS approved Bureau offering direct credit, direct debit and facilities management services. With over 25 years’ experience in our industry, their primary objective remains the same today as it was at the beginning, that of complete customer satisfaction.

Their fully trained staff strive to ensure that all their clients are assisted to ensure their BACS transactions are met on time and without error.

1 2 1 Business Ltd Avasara Ltd Azuri Technologies Ltd Cambridge Rugby Union Football Club Cocksedge Building Contractors Limited ConsultingTools Ltd Curly Words Copywriting Hayden’s Arboricultural Consultants Ltd IBD Business Advice Group Eastern Region

CBM UK

In Gear Events Ltd

www.cbmuk.org.uk

Jabula Interior Projects Ltd

CBM UK is an international disability and development organisation, working towards improving the quality of life of people with disabilities and those at risk of disabilities.

CBM has become one of the world’s leading disability and development agencies working with over 700 projects across more than 80 of the poorest countries of the world. In 2011, they reached out to more than 36 million people who were living with or at risk of a disability.

MacKellar Consulting Protech Flow Solutions Talkspace Taylor Rose Law The Chimney Corner Ltd Vine Technical Services

The John Clare Trust/The John Clare Cottage

ctm IT Support

www.clarecottage.org

www.ctm-it.com

Following a major restoration project, the John Clare Cottage, in which Poet Clare was born, is now open to the public. The Cottage has been restored to its original 18th Century state and is used as a celebration of Clare’s work and life. The gardens have been redesigned and populated with the flora and fauna Clare was so fond of and documented in his works. With magnificent surrounding countryside, glorious gardens and a fascinating house to explore, there’s something for everyone at Clare Cottage.

Established in 1999, ctm provide the best IT support for small and medium sized businesses in Cambridge and beyond. Specialising in Microsoft technologies they offer a complete, outsourced IT service which includes onsite and remote technical support, 24/7 system monitoring and the supply of the latest hardware and software.

Why not contact Rupert Davey on 0845 838 6006 for more information.

36 | CONNECTED JUNE 2013

NEW CHAMBER MEMBERS |

Would you like to become a Chamber member?

Get in touch today and find out the many benefits. tel: 01223 209805 email: enquiries@cambscci.co.uk

Trinity Hall

Mourik

www.trinhall.cam.ac.uk

www.mouriktechnicians.co.uk Mourik is an internationally renowned contracting partner, providing top-quality staffing solutions and exceptional service to its clients.

The Mourik Technicians team are a recruitment agency with a difference and have a myriad of skills, expertise and in-depth knowledge of their specialist industry sectors. They are able to understand the needs of their customers to efficiently deliver the perfect solution to their businesses.

Founded in 1350 by Bishop Bateman of Norwich for the training of Priests and Lawyers, Trinity Hall is one of Cambridge’s oldest Colleges.

The 14th Century surroundings of Trinity Hall, its fine food and tasteful decor make the College a perfect venue for day meetings, residential conferences and private dining for up to 110. Situated in the city centre, its gardens, architecture and riverside location make it one of the most attractive settings to hold an event.

Cambridge Worldwide Associates (CWA)

Greenlight FM

www.cambridge-worldwide.com

Greenlight FM provides supportive and progressive Facilities Management for your commercial or residential property.

Based in Ely, with over 25 years’ experience, they offer a range of services designed to address, maintain and fulfil your obligations as a tenant or landlord.

As a provider of a full range of integrated facilities management services, Greenlight FM delivers a sustainable, efficient and tailored solution to meet your needs.

Cambridge Worldwide Associates connects businesses, students, investors and people across and around the world. Founder Professor Alan Barrell has worked in businesses operating in more than 120 countries over a long period of time.

Cambridge Worldwide Associates offers a wide range of services to many kinds of enterprises and organisations seeking international business development to gain new customers in other regions.

www.greenlightfm.co.uk

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CONNECTED JUNE 2013 | 37

| CONNECTED MAGAZINE

Future Business Centre the new home for social and environmental businesses in Cambridge

OPEN AUTU ING M 2013 N

Fenland Peterborough Ely

The Future Business Centre will be an enterprise hub that combines good business practice with the business of doing good. It will support start-up and early stage social and commercial businesses that deliver social or environmental benefits.

Huntingdonshire

Cambridge & South Cambs ✓ Promote Your Business ✓ Protect Your Company ✓ Get Involved ✓ Succeed Internationally ✓ Reduce Business Costs

• A different kind of incubation hub • Specialist business advice • Flexible and affordable workspace • Cambridge Cleantech on site to assist start-ups • The place to grow ideas and make a difference – locally and worldwide

LP US E H U O Y N CA R G OA L? get U O H C A E R to are needed

hip nd sponsors r logo or Donations a art! Add you st t a re g a ff to nd get the centre o art project a y it n u m m ur co picture to o port. for your sup n o iti n recog

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01223 237414 www.cambridgeshirechamber.co.uk

38 | CONNECTED JUNE 2013

Find out more at futurebusinesscentre.co.uk T 0845 456 2432 E hello@futurebusinesscentre.co.uk @ftrbusiness

futurebusiness.co.uk

SECTOR FOCUS |

Sector Focus

Updates from Chambers Sector Groups

For any feedback, general information regarding the Sector Groups, or to contribute, please get in touch with Helen Bosett. tel: 01223 209815 email: h.bosett@cambscci.co.uk

BUSINESS WOMEN

Meet Business Women!

Over the last few issues committee members from the Business Women’s Sector have introduced themselves. This month we meet Sam Taylor from the HR & Recruitment and Social Enterprise & Charities Sector groups.

Q A

What do you do in business?

Coordinate the communications for Froglife, a wildlife charity dedicated to conserving amphibians and reptiles. I’m also a member of the Senior Management Team and help to develop ideas about where we go as a charity.

Q A

What are your top three tips for running or working in a business?

1. Step back from everyday operations to think about the big picture and be strategic, and creative. You can’t have ideas if you don’t have time to think.

2. Put time into your staff and HR procedures – remember that we all need a bit of help sometimes to be the best we can be.

3. Make contacts at a similar level to yourself to share ideas and contacts, problem solve, and rant occasionally!

Q A

What do you do to unwind?

Walk and train my rescue dog, and try and keep my garden on the pretty side of wildness.

Q

If you could pick anyone to sit next to at a dinner party, who would it be and why?

A

Bill Bailey – I love his style of humour, and we could have a good natter about wildlife. He’s just done a programme about the Amazon that I could grill him about, and then sign him up as a Froglife supporter.

Sam Taylor from Froglife

Q A

What value do you get from being a Chamber member?

The networking and training opportunities are great. Meeting businesses rather than just charities is also a good reminder to think beyond your own sector. n

SOCIAL ENTERPRISE & CHARITY

Environmental businesses given a great start THE Future Business Centre – Cambridge’s purpose built incubation centre to help social and environmental businesses start up and succeed – has confirmed that Cambridge Cleantech have signed up as the first tenant.

Opening in October, the 35,000 sq ft centre is currently being built and will be run by local social enterprise Future Business offering affordable, high quality workspace on flexible terms with onsite specialist business advice and an ethos of collaboration and innovation.

Cambridge Cleantech is already working with Future Business to provide business support to cleantech start-ups in the area – businesses that use the latest technology to address environmental challenges. Being based at the Future Business Centre will enable Cambridge Cleantech to develop the physical clustering of such enterprises.

Future Business is also seeking start-up or early stage social enterprises to become tenants from October. For more information, go to www.futurebusinesscentre.co.uk n

Future Business Centre

CONNECTED JUNE 2013 | 39

| SECTOR FOCUS INTERNATIONAL

Export Club grows COMPANIES that export were able to meet with like-minded people as well as meet with freight carriers, banks and translators at the recent Cambridgeshire Export Club at the Moller Centre.

Twenty people attended and were able to share best practice and discuss international trade in an informal networking arrangement.

Held regularly in Cambridge and Peterborough, the Export Club welcomes exporters old and new and those that provide support for export. Refer to the Chamber website for future dates www.cambridgeshirechamber.co.uk n

Delegates at The Moller Centre, Cambridge

Business card etiquette BUSINESS card etiquette in the UK is pretty informal, we’re quick to give and receive them, maybe even with a scribble on the back!

In some countries, particularly the Far East, business card protocol is hugely important and visitors should take time to research before travelling. Get your business cards translated with the host language on one side and English on the other. For countries speaking Chinese find out which language they speak, Mandarin or Cantonese, and

use a reputable translator and typesetter.

Include your title on the card and keep them clean and neat. Business cards should be exchanged individual to individual and be offered and accepted with both hands, host language face up. Read it before laying it on the table in front of you and don’t be tempted to scribble notes on it or shove it in a trouser or jacket pocket; the card is seen as representative of the owner and should be treated with respect. n

HR & RECRUITMENT

Companies gain Best 100 status ATHENE Communications has developed a health check with a 100 per cent success rate for helping companies to gain a place in the prestigious Sunday Times 100 Best Organisations to Work For list.

The support product was launched to help companies looking for national recognition for their employee engagement with a firm commitment to continuous improvement.

Associate consultant, Kelly Field, said: “Our approach can be tailored to suit the needs of any sized organisation in the private and not for profit sectors. Our focus is to make the process as ‘hassle-free’ as we can and running staff focus groups and conducting a desktop review of your communication channels will ensure the organisation is best placed for entry.” n

Kelly Field is presenting at the HR event on 25 June

BUSINESS WOMEN

A sell-out!

Women in Management workshop

40 | CONNECTED JUNE 2013

THE first in the series of a ‘Women in Management’ programme was a great success in more ways than one - places sold out and delegates’ feedback scored 100 per cent on content, effective delivery and value for money!

Tina Clayton of Regency Chambers attended: “Being used to the quality and value for money associated with events run by the

Chamber, I had certain expectations with regard to personal enrichment and tips on effective leadership at this recent event.

“My expectations were surpassed in every way. Lively discussion, full of honesty and integrity was to be found throughout the day.

The presenters were knowledgeable and the content was extremely interesting. I have to say that I have taken on board much of what I learnt on the day, and have already put it into practice. I greatly look forward to the remaining two events.” n

SECTOR FOCUS | COMMUNICATIONS

LEARNING & SKILLS

Google+

Ely Skills event

BRIDGET TRING, Marketing and Translations Co-ordinator at First Translations, took advantage of the Chambers’ Communications Sector LinkedIn Group to seek advice about Google+.

PARTNERSHIP working reaped great rewards at the recent Ely Skills event.

The Learning & Skills Sector informed businesses of the opportunities for them to grow their business through people.

The Learning & Skills Sector supported Ely Chamber of Commerce to deliver this interactive workshop event. A full report can be seen on page 28, Policy Update. n

“I’m looking to add Google+ to our social media mix.

We provide translation and related services, mainly B2B. Any advice gratefully received!”

Bridget Tring asked

“Our general advice would be to ensure that whatever social media channels you engage with you integrate them within your overall marketing mix for maximum impact and audience reach.

So, understanding the potential ROI of Google+ in relation to and in comparison with your other activities is a good first step.”

Alison Taylor of Conscious Communications replied

Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce Communications Sector LinkedIn Group welcomes members to join and pose your day-to-day communications issues or concerns... advice is free! n

Ely Skills Event

Education Law ‘TOP CLASS’ is how Sheila Wotherspoon from Hinchingbrooke School, described the Chambers’ recent Education Law Event delivered by members who are experts on legal and financial issues for schools.

Sara Sayer, Solicitor Advocate at Birketts, advises universities, colleges, independent schools and academies on managing student and general claims and complaints. She told us how complaints can easily get out of hand but if effectively handled expensive litigation can be avoided.

Robert Anderson, Streets Chartered Accountants, is technical partner for the firm’s education sector and advised on the need for accurate, timely and relevant financial information, how to minimise financial risks, safeguard assets and ensure that school governors understand their role and responsibilities.

Abigail Trencher heads Birkett’s Employment Education team and assists educational institutions on handling employee relations and gave us advice on avoiding and resolving disputes with employees.

Karen Hoskins, the Chamber’s Health and Safety expert, told us about the programme developed especially for schools.

Clive Paskell, Business and Resources Manager for Cambridge Meridian Academies Trust said: “It’s vital that school employees are trained to manage H&S risks and the Chamber programme will ensure that all staff at the Trust’s schools receive appropriate H&S training.”

Lisa Killner, from Sawtry Community College, said: “There was a lot to take in but attending Chamber events provides valuable information to an ever-changing working environment.” n

City Apprentice receives Medal for Excellence CITY COLLEGE PETERBOROUGH Apprentice, Aaron Nichols, picked up a Medal for Excellence in recognition of his achievements in IT. Aaron (20) joined NetSupport in January 2012 and completed his Intermediate Apprenticeship in record time before progressing onto working towards his Advanced Apprenticeship.

Aaron’s NVQ Assessor recognised his outstanding achievements and nominated him through the awarding body, City & Guilds.

As a result of his success, Aaron has been invited to go, along with other winners, to the National City & Guilds LIONs awards ceremony in London later this year. n

Aaron Nichols receives Medal for Excellence

CONNECTED JUNE 2013 | 41

| CONNECTED MAGAZINE

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What is the Low Carbon KEEP programme?

This European and UK Government funded scheme is designed to enable small to medium size businesses to work in partnership with UK universities and colleges.

What can it do for my company?

This programme offers both capital and revenue funding towards the eligible costs of collaborative projects between universities and companies.

How does it work?

The company and university recruit an experienced graduate to work full-time at the company on a specific project with agreed timescales. The graduate is supported by a specialist academic from the university who dedicates at least half a day a week.

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A Low Carbon KEEP project could address resource efficiency within a business, development of new products or services, innovation... the scope is huge!

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